Sleep Walking

[IzzyInsane]

Hi,
    This past weekend my sister go to stay at my grandmothers home where I too live. Now my grandmother has been at odds with things concerning my mother and they haven't been talking. Sunday night they saw each other for the first time in about 2 months and grandma was just happy to forgive my mom for the family things and just was able to see my sister. I was not home for this. I came home at about 1 am from work and grandma was sleeping in the living room in her night gown and the tv on in her room. I proceeded to shake her to waker her  up so she could go sleep in her room. It took me about2 mins of shaking to wake her up all the while she was mumbling and moving around a bunch. She woke up finally and i said grandma your on the couch. She looks at me apathetically and says yeah. She got up and stumbled in to her room.

Last night Monday night I come home at about 11:50 pm and she is in the kitchen. She has one set of dentures in (bottom) and she has a plate of food that is eaten. She proceeded to speak to me about some kids getting shot in Orlando and then changes the location to Tampa. She then asks my what city my girlfriend lives in even though she has driven me there and I have told her on many occasions where she lives. The food left in the plate winds up in a plastic cup and then in the disposal. I go to my room and I hear her say come on girls we are going to watch a movie.

Oh and one more thing.....she comes up to me on saturday morning and asks me if i ate all the strawberries that she made for her and my sister the night previous. I dont eat strawberries and my sister said she didnt eat them. I dont know what is going on with her.  

[Suri123]

Hi lzzylnsane, how are you? Thanks for reply. It is a good idea to spend some time talking to her and keep her engaged in some activity because a person around her age might sense loneliness and less enthusiastic towards any activity. Try to persuade not to depend on sleeping pills, as it might become a habit without which it may be difficult to sleep later. Your mother need to have more patience to take care of her as it is difficult to convince her on many things. She needs regular visit to doctor for cancer and sleep disturbance follow up. Take care.

[IzzyInsane]

Well last night i was able to talk to her about the strange happenings the other night. It was a  new sleeping pill she got from her doctor.

[Suri123]

Hi, thanks again for your reply. You are right, your mother can take care of medical necessities of your grandma. I am sure she might be finding it very hard to get over the stress with her sufferings and still keep going ahead with her daily routine. At her age it is common to have sleep deprivation and dementia, still one needs to take care because of her inability to take care of her needs. She has to keep her follow-up visits to cancer attending physician for regular check up and investigation as necessary to know the activity of the tumour so that treatment can be planned accordingly. Take care.

[IzzyInsane]

Hey there again,
                         She just got over breast cancer in its early stages. I know she has had the sleep walking issues for some years now. She has been on the cancer prevention meds and has been instructed to take a calcium supplement, which she doesn't take due to  the side effects on her stomach. She goes to he doctor regularly. She is 72 and I would not rule out anything, but I'm not going to jump the gun I'm only a hs graduate with your basic psychology and a&p. I'm going to let my mom take care of the suggestive. doctors visits

[Suri123]

Hi lzzylnsane, thanks for your reply. You might observe her for some more time, considering her age Alzheimer's disorder may be a possibility, also there can be a family history. Senile dementia is also common as it is age related. She might be mentally stressed due to sleep deprivation, which might be the cause for her sleep walks, or talks. Anyway you may get her examined by a neurologist and also get a sleep study to know her sleep pattern. Has she been on any medication for a long time? Do keep updating on her doctor visit and any investigation thereafter. Take care and share your thoughts.

[IzzyInsane]

Hey,
       Well i was doing some research and I came upon the several symptoms of sleep walking/talking. What is odd to me though is that she talked to me as if I was there. some normal conversation, but some out of no where stuff. I called my mother who is going for her PHD in phycology. She told me she had been watching her mother over the past year or so and thinks she has dementia and might be in the early stages of Alzheimer's. I dont know about that proposal, but it could be. She tells the same stories about her day at work over and over again. I will be monitoring her for the next few weeks.

[Suri123]

Hi lzzylnsane, how are you and hope your grandma is feeling better? It seems she is probably suffering from Sleepwalking and sleep talking as she might be under stress and sleep deprivation seems to be cause. Sleepwalking occurs usually early in the night and usually don’t remember their actions, also may be difficult to awaken, and usually feel confused or disoriented upon being awakened. Sleepwalking can be dangerous, as the sleepwalker is unaware of environment and can injure self by falling or bumping into things commonly seen in children but can affect people of all ages. Sleepwalking seems to run in families and may also be provoked by sleep deprivation. Sleep talking may occur either during rapid eye movement sleep or during an incomplete arousal from sleep. Sleep talking is usually harmless, although it may be disturbing to bed partners. Sleep talkers usually have no remembrance of an episode, even if they are awakened immediately afterward. Sleep talking may be caused by emotional stress, fever, or other sleep disorders. Practicing good sleep hygiene often helps to resolve this. It is better to get her consulted by a sleep specialist for a sleep study and update the progress. Take care.